Electrical switch device



March 7, 1950 H. c HARRISON 2,499,531

ELECTRICAL SWITCH DEVICE Filed Sept. 26, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l //v new 70/? H C. HARRISON ATTORNEY March 7, 1950 H. c. HARRISON ELECTRICAL SWITCH DEVICE 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Sept. 26, 1947 FIG. 4

FIG. 5

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suasTATroN 83 VIIIH 1 m m STAT! 0 N ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 7, 1950 ELECTRICAL SWITCH DEVICE Henry- C. Harrison, Port Washington, N. Y., assignor to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 26, 1947, Serial No. 776,251

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to electrical relays and more particularly to relays of the type in whici a vibratile member is employed.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved electrical relay which will operate to successively close and open its contacts When a signaling current of predetermined character is received by-the relay.

A feature of the invention resides in a spring contact member.

Another feature resides in an adjustable support for the spring contact member;

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view, in perspective, of a relay embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, in perspective, of the relay and with the parts in exploded and rel ative positions;

Fig. 3 shows one of the assemblies appearing in Fig. 2 but further exploded;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the relay with certain parts partially cut away to disclose some underlying parts;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the relay and taken on the line 55 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view, partly in section, of some of the parts and taken on the line 66 in Fig. 4;

Fig. '7 is a view, in perspective of a modification of the contact and contact supporting parts; and

Fig. 8 is a schematic illustration of a signaling system in which relays of thi invention are used in combination as a selector to control a local circuit including a signal device.

In signaling systems in which signals are sent from a central station to substations, selectors are sometimes provided at the substations in order that the central station may selectively signal the substations. The selector at each substation may comprise a relay sensitive to and operable when signal currents of a predetermined frequency are received at the substation from the central station. The relay at each substation may comprise an electromagnetically operable vibratile member operable at a predetermined frequency and means to operate the vibratile member. The vibratile member may be a tuned reed or bar arranged and operable to successively close and open a contact or contacts in the relay when the vibratile member is vibrated. If the relay is constructed so that the vibratile member must engage in its vibratory movement a fixed member or a member having considerable inertia, vibrations of the vibratile member are interfered With or considerably damped by the fixed member engaged by the vibratile member.

In this invention the relay comprises a vibratile member and a resilient contact member engageable by the vibratile member.

As shown in Fig. 1 the relay Iii comprises a casing Ii constructed as shown in mg. 2 to form a housing for parts of the relay. The principal parts of the relay H! as shown in Fig. 2 are a vibratile bar !2 of magnetic material, a contact member 13 and an electromagnetic unit M to operate the vibratile bar i2.

The electromagnetic unit is as shown in Figs. 2 and 5 comprises an apertured insulating plate 55, a pair of pole members 15 and H of magnetic material supported on the plate i5, a pair of bar type permanent magnets [23 and is supported on the pole members it and ii, a pair of pole-pieces 2B and 2| extending from the respective pole members It and H and a pair of operating coils 22 and 23 supported on the pole-pieces 253 and. 21 respectively. An apertured body 24 oi'non-magnetic material is supported in the casing I! and the apertured insulating plate !5, and the pole members is and H are securely held in place by posts 25 and 2B of non-magnetic material secured in the body 24 and extending through apertures in the pole members 15 and i7 and in the apertured insulating plate 15.

A ring type support 2'! of magnetic material rests on an annular shoulder 28 in the body 24 and is held in place by a retainer ring 29 which in turn is held in place by a collar having an inwardly extending flange 31 arranged to extend over the retainer ring 29. Spaced. lugs 32 on the retainer ring 29 extend over and into engagement with the upper surface of the ring type support 21. At spaced points inward embossings 33 are formed in the collar to extend into indentations 34 in the body 24 to hold the collar 30 in place on the body 24. A central plate portion 35 in the ring type support 2! is arranged to extend over and in spaced relation with upper ends of the pole-pieces 2B and 25, the central plate portion 35 being in connection with the main portion of the ring type support 21 through web portions 36 and 31.

The vibratile bar !2 extends diametrically over the central plate portion 35 and in spaced relation with the ring type support 27. A crossshaped member 38 welded or otherwise secured to the central portion of the vibratile bar i2 forms a central pivot support for the vibratile bar 12. The crossshaped member has apertured arms 39 and 25 extending normal to and on opposite sides of the vibratile bar i2. Tubular spacers 4! and 42 are provided under the rewire contact member spective apertured arms 89 and 40 to hold the apertured arms 39 and 4B spaced above the central plate portion 35. Screws 43 and 44 extend through the respective apertured arms 39 and 40 and the respective tubular spacers 4! and 42 and into tapped holes 45 and 46 in the central plate portion 35 to hold the vibratile bar H. in required mounted position.

The vibratile bar l2 has a natural frequency of vibration and it will be understood that when the coils 22 and 23 are electrically energized with a current of a frequency corresponding to the natural frequency of the vibratile bar l2 the vibratile bar l2 will be electromagneticall vibrated.

A spring contact member I3 is supported in the path of movement of the vibratile bar l2. The spring contact member 13 is U-shaped and is made of relatively fine gauge spring wire, Fig. 6. The two leg portions at the open end of the U-shaped spring contact member I3 are secured as shown at 41 and 4B in Fig. 3 to an arm 49 having a laterally projecting lug 59 on which portions of the leg members and 52 of the U- shaped spring contact member it rest. The closed end 53 of the U-shaped spring contact member I3 is extended downwardly over the end of the lug 5D and into the path of movement of the vibratile bar l2 to make contact with the vibratile bar 12 when the bar is vibrated. The U-shaped spring contact member 53 is pretensioned in the direction of the vibratile bar E2.

The arm 49 is arranged to extend crosswise of and in spaced relation with the vibratile bar 12 and is secured at one end 54, the secured end resting on an apertured spacer block 55 resting on the upper surface of the ring type support Z'l. Mounting screws 56 and 51, an apertured plate 58 and an underlying apertured insulating plate 59 sold the secured end of the arm 49 in place, the mounting screws 56 and 51 extending through the plate 58, the plate 59, the arm 49, the insulating spacer block 55 and into tapped holes 60 and El in the ring type support 21. The arm 49 has a bifurcated free end portion 52 extending partially around a screw stud 63 mounted on and extending upward from the ring type support 21. A nut 64 is adjustably mounted on the screw stud 63 above the bifurcated free end portion 62 of the arm 49 and an insulating washer 65 is disposed between the nut 64 and the bifurcated free end portion 62 of the arm 49. By turning the nut 64 on the screw stud 63 as required the arm 49 and the contact 13 may be moved relative to the vibratile bar !2 to obtain a required normal spacing of the contact it from the vibratile bar l2.

Pin type terminals 66, 61, 68 and 69 are mounted in spaced relation in the casing II and extend below the casing H to permit electrical connection of the relay I9 in a signaling system. The pin type terminals 66 and 6'! are in electrical connection with the coils 22 and 23 respectively by way of respective lead wires and H. A lead wire 12 extends from the pin type terminal 68 to the secured end of the conducting arm 49. A lead wire 13 extends from the pin type terminal 69 to the ring type conducting support 21.

When the operating coils 22 and 23 are energized by current of a required frequency the vibratile bar I2 is electromagnetically set in vibration and successively makes and breaks contact with the spring wire contact member l3. Each time the vibratile bar I2 strikes the spring Is the free end of the spring wire contact member I3 is moved upward to allow full swing of the vibratile bar I2. Since the spring wire contact member I3 is made of relatively light gauge spring wire the vibrational movements of the vibratile bar I2 are not unduly clamped by the spring wire contact member H3. The circuit through the contact making parts of the relay may be traced as follows: pin type terminal 68, lead wire 12, arm 49, spring wire contact [3, vibratile bar I2, cross member 38, screws 43 and 44, ring type support 2'1, lead wire 13 to pin type terminal 69.

The casing H in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 may be, as shown, a casing of a type commonly called a watch case type casing and having an apertured cover 14 removably attached to the casing H by cooperating screw threads in the parts. The upper portion of the cover 14 may have an end closure disc 15 of transparent or other suitable material.

In Fig. 7 a modification of the spring wire contact and a modification of the arm support for the spring wire contact are shown. In this case the supporting arm 16 corresponds to the arm 49 above described with the exceptions that the supporting arm 16 has an offset curved portion 17 where the arm 16 extends over the vibratile bar [2 and two spaced laterall extending lugs 18 and 19 are provided on the supporting arm 16. The spring wire contact SE in this case corresponds to the spring wire contact 53 above described with the exception that the spring wire contact is a single substantially straight piece of wire supported on the two laterally extending lugs 78 and 19 of the supporting arm it. One end of the spring wire contact 89 is secured to the lug 18, a portion of the spring wire contact 88 rests on the lug 79 and a free end portion M of the spring wire contact 86] extends into the path of movement of the vibratile bar l2. The spring wire contact 80 is pretensioned in the direction of the vibratile bar 42. When the vibratile bar I2 is vibrated it engages the spring wire contact 80 which is made of relatively small gauge spring wire. Under impact of the vibratile bar I2 the spring wire contact 89 flexes upward to permit full swing of the vibratile bar 42 and does not unduly damp the vibrations of the vibratile bar I2.

The present invention provides a relay suitable for use in a signaling system in which tuned relays are required. In Fig. 8 a signaling system is shown in which relays of this invention are used. In Fig. 8 the central station 82 is operable to send out radio signals of a plurality of predetermined frequencies. At the substation 83, shown to the right of the dash-dot lines in the figure, relays 84, 85, 86 and 8'! are shown which are constructed in accordance with this invention. Each relay 84, 85, BB and 87 has a vibratile bar 12 operable to engage a spring wire contact 83 corresponding to either the spring wire contact I 3 or the spring wire contact 38 above described. The vibratile bar E2 in each relay 84, 85, and 8! has a natural frequency of Vibration different from the natural frequency of vibration of any other relay in the set of relays shown. The contacts of the relays are arranged in series, and the spring wire contact 88 of the relay 8? is in conducting connection through a resistance 89 with a trigger tube 93 or a sensitive relay controlling a relay 9|. Radio signals of predetermined frequencies sent out by the central station 82 and received at the substat on 83 pass through the operating coils of the relays 54, 85,

86 and 81 by way of the conductors 92 and 93. When the signaling current received is of a frequency corresponding to the natural frequency of vibration of a vibratile bar [2 in one of the relays 84, 85, 86 and 87 the relay of that frequency successively closes and opens its contacts. When the relays 84, 85, 86 and 81 are simultaneously operated by signals of the required frequencies the contacts in the set of relays are at some time in the operation all closed at the same time. Assuming that the contacts in the relays 84, 85, 83 and 8'! are all closed the relay 9] is operated over the following circuit: grounded battery 94, conductor 95, vibratile bar l2 and spring wire contact 88 of relay 84, vibratile bar I2 and spring wire contact 88 of relay 85, vibratile bar It and spring wire contact 83 of relay 86, vibratile bar 12 and spring wire contact 88 of relay ill, resistance 89, trigger tube 90 and winding of relay 9| to ground. When relay 9| is operated it closes its contacts 96 in a local circuit QT comprising a source of current supply 98 and a buzzer 99 or other suitable signal device. Operation of the buzzer 99 indicates that the substation 83 is being called by the central station 82. Other substations, not shown, may be in control of the central station 82. Relays corresponding to the relays 8d, 85, 86 and 81 but operable under signals of different frequencies or under different combinations of signals may be provided at the various substations. To call a desired substation the central station 82 will send out signal currents of the frequencies to which relays at the desired substation are tuned and in the required combination for the desired substation.

It will be understood that the system shown in Fig. 8 may be a full wire system between the central station and the substation without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

A signaling system of the type shown in Fig. 8 is covered in my copending application H. C. Harrison, Serial No. 767,487, filed August 8, 1947.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical relay comprising an electromagnetically operable vibratile bar, means to operate said vibratile bar, an arm extending over and in spaced relation with said vibratile bar, a lug member on said arm and a spring wire supported on said arm and resting on said lug member and having a free end extending beyond said lug member and into the path of movement of said vibratile bar and pretensioned toward said vibratile bar, said spring wire being operable to flex under impact of said vibratile bar to prevent said vibratile bar from being unduly damped by said spring wire and said lug member operating to limit the extent of movement of said spring wire in one direction.

2. An electrical relay comprising an electromagnetically operable vibratile bar, means to operate said vibratile bar, an adjustably supported arm extending crosswise over and in spaced relation with said vibratile bar, a lug member on said adjustably supported arm, said lug member extending laterally from said arm and in the same direction as said vibratile bar, a spring wire contact secured at one end to said adjustably supported arm and resting on said lug member and a free end portion on said spring wire contact extending over an end of said lug member and pretensioned in the direction of said vibratile bar and extending into the path of movement of said vibratile bar, said spring wire contact being operable to flex under impact of said vibratile bar to prevent said vibratile bar from being unduly clamped by said spring wire contact and said lug member operating to limit the extent of movement of said spring wire contact in one direction.

3. An electrical relay comprising an electromagnetically operable vibratile bar, means to operate said vibratile bar, a support for said vibratile bar, an adjustably supported arm extending over and in spaced relation with said vibratile bar and a U-shaped spring wire contact secured at one end to said adjustably supported arm and having its closed end extending into the path of movement of said vibratile bar, said U-shaped spring wire contact being operable to flex under impact of said vibratile bar to prevent said vibratile bar from being unduly damped by said U-shaped spring wire contact.

4. An electrical relay comprising an electromagnetically operable vibratile bar, means to operate said vibratile bar, an adjustably supported arm extending crosswise over and in spaced relation with said vibratile bar, spaced lug members on said adjustably supported arm, said spaced lug members extending laterally from said arm, a spring wire contact secured at one end to one of said spaced lug members and resting on another of said spaced lug members, said spring wire contact extending in parallel relation with said arm and a free end portion on said spring wire contact pretensioned toward said vibratile bar and extending into the path of movement of said vibratile bar, said spring wire contact being operable to flex under impact of said vibratile bar to prevent said vibratile bar from being unduly damped by said spring wire contact and one of said lug members operating to limit the extent of movement of said spring wire contact in one direction.

HENRY C. HARRISON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,290,725 Bartels July 21, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 311,815 Germany Apr. 12, 1919 595,847 Germany Apr. 21, 1934 

